Yes, a license is required to open and process your pattern files. You can however install and run the fully operational software without a license file using demonstration mode. Test vectors can be opened and verified but ATE conversion and pattern creation are disabled without a license.

Once you receive your license file, save it somewhere accessible on your computer. Next, download and install the latest version of VectorPort. Once the install is complete, run VectorPort, then in the main window, under the Edit Menu, select ‘License Manager’. Select your type of license (Node Locked or Floating). For ‘Node Locked’, browse to the license file and hit OK. For floating licenses, enter the license server host name and port, then select OK. Use the ‘Server Status’ button to ensure the license manager can communicate with you license server. Once the license file has been validated VectorPort should be operational.

VectorPort allows for command line operation, without the need for the GUI. This can come in handy when processing large sets of test vectors using a script or batch-processing. The command tool is required so that arguments can be passed when using this methodology.

Converting vectors is easy. First, select your input file type and the desired ATE output format. Next, set the Output Directory using the option under the Edit Menu. Select your test vector files using the Select Files menu or quick icon, and click the Start Converter button. Your pattern, timing, and pinmap files will be created in the output directory you selected.

All the selected output files, like test patterns, timing files and pinmaps are generated in the output directory. Specify the location of this directory using the menu option under Edit, Set Output Directory.

You can save the processing information that occurs while converting your vectors to a log file. The information may be useful for documentation or tracking purposes as it contains data about the vector source, converter options, processing statistics, and more.

When converting test vectors to ATE patterns, enabling repeat compress will search for adjacent ATE pattern vectors that are equivalent and will represent them with a single instance of the ATE vector, along with a repeat count for the number of times the vector occurs. This conserves file space, aids with readability, and may use less vector memory (depending on target ATE).

Selecting the Create Pattern File enables the converter to change the input test vector states and formats into the equivalent state and format data for the selected ATE and saves the resulting state data as an ASCII pattern file with the appropriate file extension, depending on tester. The Create Timing File option will enable the creation of all timing information, such as edge locations, timing sets, and signal formats required to configure and operate the selected system. Selecting Create Pinmap File will generate a pin mapping file that includes information about the signal (pin) types as well as any signal groups or buses. The set of files are typical inputs required for creating a complete ATE test.

The Signal Editor is a graphical tool for modifying the device pins in your test vectors. You can remove signals, add new signals, and change the state of any signal to a static value (for the duration of the pattern). You can modify the signal names with operations such as find/replace or change the text to upper or lower case. The column order of the signals and pins can be modified and groups can be created or deleted. Save and reload your signal edits at any time and share the settings across multiple patterns and projects.

The Timeset Editor allows you to modify signal waveforms, timing edges, and formats using a graphical interface. The timing requirements and restrictions for the selected ATE are represented with dropdown boxes for selecting alternate wave shapes and formats. Change the vector periods and edge locations for any of the time sets identified in the input vectors. The editor can also save and reload the modifications allowing timing parameters to be shared across multiple patterns and projects.

The Waveform Viewer allows you to visualize the signals and their timing in a logic-analyzer format. Zoom in or out to see vector and cycle numbers, time set allocation, state data and wave shapes for each of the signals found in the input vector files. Jump to an absolute vector or time and highlight scan vectors and repeat cycles.

In the case where there may be errors in the vector file, setting the maximum warning value allows the converter to automatically stop after a number of issues have occurred. This can be helpful when doing batch-mode processing and several patterns are being converted at once.

Several useful statistics are calculated and maintained when processing test vectors. Items such as the number of input and output vectors, total cycle count, repeat compression ratio, number of scan vectors, chains, and more.

You can do almost everything at the command line. For a complete list of the command line parameters, please see the User’s manual. Run ‘vectorport.exe /help’ in Widows for command line help. The following is a listing of the input arguments:

Where <options> are one or more of the following:

-help

displays help information

-batch [file]

enable batch mode, with [file], then commands are read from a batch file

Precedence order for settings is as follows:
1) Settings identified through the command line
2) Properties file identified with the -props command
3) Properties file located in the user’s home directory

There are several options when converting vectors and there are different options for different ATE writers. Once the proper input file type and output writer have been selected, choose the Converter Options menu item under the Edit menu. Tester specific options will be presented near the top of the options page. Quick modifications to signals can also be setup using the options page. Modify or customize the output pattern states, scan chain configuration, timing properties and more.

Yes, you can create a fully custom mapping for your desired output states. For example, if you want to change every instance of a mid-band compare (M) to a don’t care (X), you can change output writer to apply X for every instance of M. This functionality and more can be found under the Edit menu on the Converter Options page.

If you are running VectorPort on a 64 bit system, download and install the 64 bit version of VectorPort. If you are running on a 32 bit system, go to the directory where VectorPort was installed and locate the file ‘VectorPort.lax’. Open this file with a text editor and change line 71 from the default ‘lax.nl.java.option.java.heap.size.max=512000000’ to a larger number, such as ‘lax.nl.java.option.java.heap.size.max=750000000’. Note, most Windows machines will only allow a value up to 1250000000, while Linux and Solaris machines tend to allow a larger value.

The warning message: “ WGL SCAN Block – If ‘Encounter’ ATPG tool was used to generate the input file, then user should select the ‘Reverse WGL Scan State Bit Order’ in the options menu”. This message is a generic message whenever any WGL scan pattern is converted. It means that if the input file chosen was generated by the ‘Encounter ATPG’ tool, you will need to use this option in order to get the correct output for your patterns. Encounter reverses the scan chain bits compared to other APTG tools like FastScan and Tetramax.